Is a Sam’s Club Membership Worth It?

Membership Costs and What You Get

Sam’s Club offers two membership tiers with meaningfully different benefits. The Club membership costs $60 per year and includes basic warehouse access, Scan & Go technology, and a household card. The Plus membership costs $120 per year and doubles the benefits: you get 2% cash back on qualifying purchases (up to $750 per year), free shipping on orders over $50, early store access at 8 a.m. instead of 9 a.m., and free curbside pickup with no minimum order. Both memberships let you add up to 8 additional cardholders at $55 each (Plus allows 16 additional members at the same price).

The cash back on Plus membership alone can cover the membership fee. If you spend $6,000 annually on qualifying purchases, you earn $120 in Sam’s Cash, which directly offsets the $120 cost. For a household that regularly buys groceries, household supplies, and gas at Sam’s, hitting $6,000 in annual purchases is entirely realistic.

How Sam’s Club Prices Compare to Walmart

When compared item-for-item to Walmart, Sam’s Club won the majority of price matchups in a 2025 price comparison study across grocery and household goods. Ground beef cost $4.78 per pound at Sam’s Club versus $4.98 at Walmart. Eggs were $4.15 per dozen at Sam’s Club compared to $5.97 at Walmart. Cottage cheese, butter, cheese sticks, sour cream, and shredded cheese in bulk all cost less per ounce at Sam’s Club. Paper towels, toilet paper, charmin rolls, and dish soap were significantly cheaper per unit at the warehouse.

However, not everything is cheaper at Sam’s Club. Of the two dozen items compared, only three items were consistently less expensive at Walmart: milk, chicken breasts, and apple juice. Milk cost $2.57 per gallon at Walmart versus $3.18 at Sam’s Club. Chicken breasts were $2.67 per pound at Walmart compared to $2.77 at Sam’s Club. This is a critical detail: do not assume everything at the warehouse is cheaper. You must compare unit prices.

The break-even point depends on what you buy. If your household regularly purchases the items where Sam’s Club has the largest per-unit savings, such as butter ($3.41 per pound versus $3.82 at Walmart), large packages of cheese, eggs, and paper goods, you will recover the $60 membership fee quickly. If you primarily buy only the items where Walmart wins, the membership may never pay for itself.

Which Membership Tier Pays for Itself

The Club membership at $60 per year is the easier math for most households. You only need to find $60 worth of savings over 12 months. Buying a single large package of butter over Walmart’s price, adding in a few units of eggs and cheese, and you have already broken even. One tank of gas saved at the fuel center often provides the full $60 difference on its own, according to reports that Sam’s Club fuel is at times more than 20 cents per gallon cheaper than nearby gas stations.

The Plus membership at $120 per year requires more commitment. You need either $120 in direct savings on items or $6,000 in qualifying purchases to earn the 2% cash back reward that covers the fee. Plus members also get free shipping on orders over $50 and early access to the store, which adds convenience value but not direct dollar savings. Plus is worth it if you shop at Sam’s Club frequently enough to hit $6,000 in annual spending, or if you value the early shopping hours and free shipping enough to justify the higher cost.

Best Deals That Guarantee Value

Certain product categories are reliably cheaper at Sam’s Club. Paper goods including paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, and freezer bags almost always have the lowest per-unit cost. These items store indefinitely, so buying three months worth at a time carries no waste risk. Pantry staples such as spices, coffee, rice, flour, sugar, chocolate chips, and canned goods are consistently cheaper in bulk. If your household uses these items regularly, stock up.

Dairy products in bulk, particularly butter, cheese, and eggs, offer significant per-unit savings and freeze well. Meat and produce are high quality and often competitively priced, but require either immediate use or proper freezing to avoid waste. Gas at the Sam’s Club fuel center has historically been among the cheapest available, sometimes 20 cents per gallon below nearby stations. One household member reported saving $3 to $5 per tank, which alone could cover a $60 annual membership in two to three fill-ups for a typical vehicle.

Lesser-known deals include discounted gift cards, which Sam’s Club sometimes offers at up to 25% off face value. These can be used for dining, shopping, or other expenses, not just gifted. The Tire and Battery Center offers name-brand products at competitive prices with free installation and free tire rotation and balance for the life of the tire. Plus members also get a 30-day supply of over 600 generic prescription drugs for $10 or less, plus 10 specific free generics.

The Scan & Go Feature and Other Member Perks

The Sam’s Club return policy allows members to return items without a time limit, which reduces the risk of bulk purchases. Unlike many retailers, Sam’s has no deadlines on returns, so if you buy in bulk and realize you cannot use an item, you can return it. This policy removes one major objection to buying large quantities of perishables or specialty items.

The Scan & Go feature, available to all membership levels, lets you scan items with the Sam’s Club app as you shop, avoiding checkout lines. You pay through the app and show a barcode to an employee on the way out. For households with children or those who dislike waiting in line, this saves both time and stress. The Sam’s Club Cafe offers competitively priced food, such as $1.50 hot dog and drink combos and slices of pizza with a drink for $2.50.

When a Sam’s Club Membership Does Not Make Sense

A membership is not worth it if you live in a small apartment with no storage space. Buying in bulk only works if you can actually store the items before they expire or spoil. If you do not have freezer space, a pantry, or dry storage, even the cheapest bulk price cannot help you.

Avoid paying full price for the membership. Sam’s Club regularly offers deals where you get a $50 gift card when you purchase a $60 membership, effectively making the fee free if you spend that gift card. Third-party sites sometimes offer Groupon or discount codes that cut the membership price in half. If no deal is available, it is worth waiting a few weeks for one to appear rather than paying the full annual fee. Sam’s Club deals occur frequently enough that the wait is short.

If you are not willing to compare unit prices and shop multiple stores, a Sam’s Club membership adds complexity rather than value. The membership only saves money if you actively compare what you buy to alternative retailers and avoid impulse purchases. Bulk does not automatically mean savings if you buy items you would not have purchased at smaller quantities.

Finally, if another warehouse club is closer and you join primarily for fuel savings, the convenience may outweigh the slightly lower Sam’s Club membership fee. Costco membership is more expensive but has a loyal following, and the Costco return policy is similarly lenient. If you are already near a competitor, the gas savings at Sam’s Club may not be enough to offset the drive time difference.